A Lib MP, a Labor opponent and an open and shut case of cross-party unity
So regular readers may be surprised that even we cracked a little when we heard this tale of a long-lost childhood memento resurfacing years later – and from across the political divide.
Who has reached their middle years without losing something of great emotional value along the shifting pathways of life? Certainly not Jason Wood.
The federal Liberal MP for the outer Melbourne seat of La Trobe retained his seat with 52 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote despite a swing of more than 6 per cent to his Labor opponent, Jeff Springfield.
Back in 2010, Wood lost an old wooden case made when he was a high school student at Ferntree Gully Technical School.
It contained much he held dear: primary school medals; scouting photos; police memorabilia; newspaper clippings from the Ash Wednesday bushfires, when he was a teenager; a photo of Junior, his 85-kilogram Great Dane; his gold Duke of Edinburgh Award; a Christmas card from John Howard; and, most importantly, a treasured photo of his nana.
Fast forward 15 years and Wood was reunited with the case days ago. And who returned it? None other than his Labor opponent, Springfield, who rang to concede and told him the item had been handed to him by a Labor supporter.
'We caught up for a brunch. I couldn't stop thanking him. I even gave him a hug. I am not a hugging guy, but I wanted to let him know how appreciative I was,' Wood told CBD, describing the case as having 'all my highlights' that he could now share with his daughter Jasmine.
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